The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have locked up their top receiver for three years, just two days before he was due to become a free agent.

Darvin Adams, who has caught 296 passes for 4,226 yards and 34 touchdowns in five seasons with the Bombers, signed a contract that will keep him in Blue and Gold through the 2022 season.

Adams did explore options with other teams during the CFL’s legal tampering window, which ended Sunday at 11 a.m. CT, but clearly didn’t see a better fit than with the Bombers.

The Ottawa Redblacks, with former Bombers offensive co-ordinator Paul LaPolice now their head coach, were reportedly “all-in” on Adams, leading some to speculate the Bombers will pay him upwards of $140,000 this season.

“I was very tempted … I have to take care of my kids,” Adams told the Bombers website.

“At the end of the day I want to be in Winnipeg and I want to retire a Bomber. It’s the guys in the locker room, that’s basically what my decision came down to.”

Adams, a 30-year-old from Mississippi, caught eight passes for 209 yards and a touchdown in three playoff games last season.

He seemed to have a good connection with quarterback Zach Collaros, who will be the No. 1 quarterback for the Bombers next season.

Collaros performed very well for the Bombers in the post-season and showed he can throw the deep ball consistently, which should work well for the speedy Adams.

CFL free agency opens on Tuesday at 11 a.m., CT and it was believed the Bombers would be in the market for a receiver, with bit names like Derel Walker, S.J. Green and DeVier Posey expected to hit the market.

This signing could change that.

The Bombers finished their championship 2019 season with Adams, Kenny Lawler, Rasheed Bailey and Canadians Nic Demski and Drew Wolitarsky as their starting receivers. All are expected back in 2020.

They also have Canadians Daniel Petermann and Julian Feoli-Gudino and American Lucky Whitehead, who started with much fanfare but finished the season on the practice roster.

If the Bombers are fully comfortable with that lineup at receiver — it was good enough to win the Grey Cup — they could focus their free agency money elsewhere, particularly at the defensive back positions. All-stars Winston Rose and Marcus Sayles signed NFL contracts after last season.

The Bombers still have two significant players who could become free agents on Tuesday, including CFL most outstanding defensive player Willie Jefferson and starting centre Michael Couture.

Jefferson had talks with six teams during the legal tampering window and had visits with the Toronto Argonauts and Hamilton Tiger-Cats on the weekend.

The Argos, owned by Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainement, are reportedly offering Jefferson $290,000, while he’s also considering at least a $250,000 offer to stay with the Bombers.

Jefferson and his family were treated to a Toronto Raptors game on Saturday night and visited the Tiger-Cats Sunday morning, before the tampering window closed.

The Bombers now have until Tuesday at 9 a.m., to exclusively negotiate with their pending free agents.

There is a belief that Jefferson wants to return to Winnipeg but the Bombers may have to spice up their offer to compete with what the Argos and Tiger-Cats have put on the table. One thing that might attract him to the Argos is the presence of their new defensive co-ordinator, Glen Young, who coached the Bombers’ defensive linemen last season.

The Bombers beat the Tiger-Cats 33-12 in the Grey Cup game last November in Calgary, winning the CFL championship for the first time since 1990.

Jefferson played a huge role, recording two defensive tackles, three quarterback sacks, and two forced fumbles in the victory.

After the Grey Cup, he said he very much wanted to return to Winnipeg.

“I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else but here,” Jefferson said after the Bombers and their fans celebrated with a parade through downtown Winnipeg.

“I’ve been in this league six years and I haven’t had an experience like this, haven’t been with a coaching staff like this, haven’t been with a team like this.

“For me it’s all about legacy. I’m not trying to jump around the league, going from place to place. I’m trying to find a home and right now I feel like Winnipeg is my home.”

Jefferson had a workout with the Miami Dolphins of the NFL in December and was expecting a contract offer but never received one.

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